Three years ago, Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) was pretty clear about his stand on the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

A former war hero, McCain said he would support ending the ban once the military's top brass told him they were okay with it.

"The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, 'Senator, we ought to change the policy,' then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it because those leaders in the military are the ones we give the responsibility to," McCain told an audience of college students during the "Hardball" college tour on MSNBC.

That day arrived Tuesday, with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen testifying to senators following President Obama's announcement that he would seek a congressional repeal of the controversial 15-year-old policy.

Mullen called repealing the policy, which bans openly gay men and lesbians from serving, "the right thing to do" and said he was personally troubled by effectively forcing service members to "lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."

Mullen called repealing the policy, which bans openly gay men and lesbians from serving, "the right thing to do" and said he was personally troubled by effectively forcing service members to "lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens."

So admiral can you do away with the UCMJ articles about rape and carnal knowledge and sodomy as well? Those are bothersome articles that people have to lie about as well.

11
posted on 02/02/2010 2:47:21 PM PST
by missnry
(The truth will set you free ... and drive liberals Crazy!)

"At this moment of immense hardship for our armed services, we should not be seeking to overturn the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy," McCain said bluntly, before describing it as "imperfect but effective."

16
posted on 02/02/2010 2:55:51 PM PST
by TankerKC
(No government employees were harmed in the slashing of this budget.)

McCain is moving in the direction most Freepers prefer (keeping DADT) and they still bash him? McCain is not enemy #1, he’s not even enemy #100. Besides Obama, look at the Democrats in Congress.

How many people think Obama won primarily because McCain ran a poor campaign? I think it’s because people were sick of Republicans in general, starting with Bush, and for good reason (although the Democrats are still worse).

If you think McCain derangement syndrome is bad around here, it is nothing to compare with Romney derangement syndrome. Mitt is just another garden variety RINO who doesn’t p*Ss on conservatives quite as enthusiastically as does McCain.

20
posted on 02/02/2010 3:12:21 PM PST
by Vigilanteman
(Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)

“Buchanan noted that McCain had submitted for the record a list of thousands of former military officers who oppose lifting the ban on openly gay people serving in the military. She said McCain will wait until the special panel Gates and Mullen announced before considering whether to support a repeal of the ban.”

"The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, 'Senator, we ought to change the policy,'

And even though Juan is running away from that, I'd disagree with it, now or before. That might make sense if it were limited to the leadership below the top leadership which is so politicized and generally PC, as General Casey so ably demonstrated after Fort Hood.

I'd want to know what the officers below the top brass think, and what the senior enlisted personnel think. Forget the Joint Chiefs and other top brass. Most of those will tell a president what he wants to hear on all too many subjects.

Its open homosexuality that the military prohibits. Ike Skelton, the leading House Democrat on military policy, opposes repealing the policy. So does John McCain, who responded to the presidents decision by defending DADT. He said, This successful policy has been in effect for over 15 years, and it is well understood and predominantly supported by our military at all levels.

I don't get you people. Three years ago deferred to the generals' and admirals' because he figured there was no way they would ever support the gay rights culture's abuse of the military. At the moment, gays are permitted in the military, they just aren't allowed to make an issue of their sexual preferrence. Then President Obama came along and obviously vetted Mullen on this topic before he appointed him or kept him. Same thing with Gates. McCain is revising his official position because circumstances have changed.

The morale, social, military health, marriage/civil union issues and costs, moral/ethical, and the walking blood supply concerns of approving of homosexuality in the military make this a far too costly decision for this nation.

33
posted on 02/02/2010 5:38:45 PM PST
by xzins
(Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who support our troops pray for their victory!)

The explanation is very easy to understand. He is trying to be reelected. Every RINO becomes more conservative near reelection. As soon as he is reelected, he will be buddy buddy with the social agenda of all moderates and liberals.

I think the key issue with overturning DADT is if they were also overturning the ban on gays in the military.

Before DADT the services were allowed to investigate suspected sodomites and remove them if they were proven to be such.

This is the way it should be . No faggot should be serving in the military under any conditions.

If they want to repeal DADT and allow openly homosexual people to serve then it should be fought tooth and nail. If they want to repeal DADT and cleanse the military of the gay plague then it should be embraced.

The problem is that no one has said what will replace DADT (or if they did I missed it). With the gay kenyan in the whitehouse though, I’d expect he’s going to bat for his butt buddies.

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